Forever and ever
by OrliChica
Summary: These are all seperate or related stories about girls who live with the Newsies.
1. Forever and ever

New York City. Turn of the century. In a building with "Newsboys Lodging House" on the front, a confrontation between siblings ensued.  
  
"Wren would yous hush up for a minute!" Skittery exclaimed.  
  
"Sorry." Wren apologized, "Ise just wanted to tell you that…" Skittery gave his sister a stern look, which managed to shut her up.  
  
"Let others talk on occasion."  
  
"But…" Wren started, "Oh please just let me finish."  
  
"Skittery, let up on her." Jack admonished, "We can talk in a minute." So Wren proceeded to talk and managed to finish within 5 minutes. She was then shoved to the side so the boys could talk business. 'Why do they think girls can't handle it? Or more specifically me?' Wren sighed to herself. She decided to go out on the roof and look at the sunset. Sitting there Wren counted the days to her birthday in her head. '10 days…oh no…today can't be…' With that Wren fell into a sea of memories.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Dublin, Ireland. 10 years previous.  
  
"Ailie, hurry up I want to see the deck." A seven-year-old boy named Gavin commanded.  
  
"Bu…bu…but w…what i…if I fall in?" His almost 5-year old sister blubbered.  
  
"Oh don't be such a ninny." Gavin scoffed.  
  
"Gavin McCallen, you be nicer to yar sister." Their mother commanded.  
  
"Come 'er Ailie. Papa will protect you." Their father assured.  
  
The McCallens had been having a difficult time surviving in their village in Ireland. Praise for the Americas had caught their ears. With little to keep them but starvation, they decided to discover for themselves if there was truth to the praise. They found passage on a ship to greater things.  
  
That day had been filled with joy and anticipation. The next to come were quite different. They were only able to afford steerage. The quarters were cramped and dirty. People were shoved into every nook and cranny. The room where the McCallens slept was big enough for only one but they managed to fit 4.  
  
The ship hit open waters and everyone in steerage was getting sick. With little sanitation and so much crowding, avoiding the illness was nearly impossible. Most people were throwing up, but some were dying. Ailie and Gavin came into their cabin after playing on the deck and found their mother on the floor. She had a high fever, which had caused her to pass out.  
  
"Mummy? Wake up!" Ailie pleaded with her mother's unconscious form. No response. Neither child was able to lift her so they tried to make her comfortable on the floor. "Gavie, what are we going to do for mummy?" Ailie asked her brother.  
  
"I don't know. I'll go look for Papa. You stay here." Gavin commanded. Ailie nodded, tears slipping down her little face.  
  
Gavin raced around looking for his father. On the deck there was a big commotion. "Someone was pushed in the water!" "Get him!" "Are we going to stop for him?"  
  
"People," an officer bellowed, "No one can survive those waters. We can't stop. Did anyone see what happened?" Several people stepped forward pointing to the railing and to the man that was tackled to the ground. "Does anyone know who the man was?" The officer asked.  
  
Gavin wasn't really paying attention to what was said until he heard, "McCallen. I think the name was McCallen." Gavin stopped and couldn't believe what was happening. "Papa?" Gavin rushed at the man that was being taken into custody. Anger was boiling up in him. A man grabbed Gavin's collar, "Hey now what do you think your doing?" "He killed my father." Gavin answered and started struggling. "Don't worry he will be dealt with. Is your mother around?" The man asked. Gavin managed to shove away from the man, thwarted from his goal he ran back to the cabin to see how his mother was doing.  
  
Ailie sat, clutching their mother's hand. "Mummy?" Ailie said again. Her eyes fluttered open. "Ailie? Baby, don't cry. I don't want you to be sad. Always smile, never frown." Their mother implored. Ailie made a feeble attempt at smiling. Gavin came into view. "Gavin, my boy. Be brave. Watch after your sister."  
  
"Mother don't talk like this. You have to live. We need you." Gavin pleaded.  
  
"Your father will take care of you. Be good." She eyes fluttered closed and the rise and fall of her chest dwindled to nothing.  
  
Gavin crumpled to the floor, crying. They had no parents and no friends. Ailie curled up next to him, also crying. "Where is Papa?" She asked.  
  
"Ailie, you won't leave me will you."  
  
"No."  
  
"Papa is gone. Dead."  
  
"What!? No. He can't be." Ailie bawled.  
  
The rest of the time was a blur. They arrived at Ellis Island and managed to sneak out to start a new life. They lived starving on the streets for a little while. Both of their dispositions changed, Ailie was always cheery and smiling even when she was starving. Gavin on the other hand, was sullen and quiet. He acted like the whole world was against him. They eventually met up with some other boys who were Newsies. They both took on new names as they were inducted into Newsiehood. Ailie became Wren and Gavin became Skittery.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Wren shook out of her reverie. It had been 10 years since this pain, but still it haunted her occasionally. The sun had already gone down and it was getting a little chilly, so she headed back inside. The boys were finishing whatever they were discussing, when she walked in. Wren walked up to Skittery and gave him a hug. Usually they didn't show physical signs of affection when others were around, so Skittery was a little surprised. "What was that for?" He asked concernedly.  
  
"I don't know. I was just thinking about the past."  
  
"Oh. I try so hard to forget."  
  
"Don't forget. Just don't be sad. At least we have each other."  
  
"Well each other and a bunch of nosy friends." Skittery said, glaring at the boys trying to listen.  
  
"Brother and sister, forever and ever."  
  
The End 


	2. A second chance

Thanks to all my reviewers. Each chapter is like a story of its own. I just decided to put all relating stories together so people will read them in the order they should be. This one isn't as good as my first but most of these next few chapters is mostly going to be introduction of new characters.  
  
++++  
  
Wren stood alone on the busy street. She was taking a second to come up with another "headline". Out of nowhere a girl came barreling into her.  
  
"What the?" Wren exclaimed. Just as suddenly the girl disappeared. Wren checked her pockets to make sure nothing had been taken. 'Nothing, how odd.' Then Wren saw someone running in the direction the girl had gone. Wren shrugged and started to pick up her papers. She noticed something glinting in the dust on the street. Bending down to pick it up she discovered it was a locket. In it was a picture of a baby and a woman. 'The girl must have lost it. What did she look like?' Wren thought. The only impression she got was black and white. Wren pocketed the locket and went around her normal business. It was early afternoon and Wren had finished selling her papers. 'Food and hungry were all she had on her mind. She decided to go to Tibby's to eat and see who else was there. Walking in she saw her brother, Skittery, and numerous other newsies eating. "Hey Wren, ovah 'ere." Wren turned around to see Dutchy and Snoddy waving her over. She was about to go join them, when the door burst open and Jack came in with a girl dressed all in black following close behind. Both were out of breath. "Are yous okay?" Wren asked. "Had a run in wid the bulls." Jack replied, "I'd intraduce yous if I could but I don't know 'er name." The girl stepped forward thrusting out a hand to Wren. "Da name's Raven." "I'm called Wren. Nice to meet ya." Wren couldn't help feeling that she had seen the girl somewhere. Raven was also looking at her warily. Then it clicked, she was the girl Wren had run into, or well had been run into by. "Did ya lose anything?" Wren asked. Raven gave her a strange look. "Not that I know of. Ise kinda been runnin' all day." "A locket maybe?" Raven felt her throat and then slowly nodded. Wren pulled the locket out and handed it to her. "'ere. Dis is yours." "Thanks." Jack watched the exchange with some surprise. Wren had pulled the girl to a table and was putting her through a happy interrogation. 'Weird the people you run into, they always seen to stay. I feel like I'm always picking up strays.' Jack thought to himself.  
  
Raven decided to stick around; she figured staying with these people was as good as any. She could hide out, change attire, and try to blend in with the newsies. Wren had taken a great liking to Raven even with her somewhat gruff exterior. It didn't help that the two of them would be the only two girls in the lodging house. Some girls had come and gone, but for a long time it had only been Wren. In the beginning Wren asked simple non-invasive questions to make Raven more comfortable. Eventually Raven began to loosen up and talk a little more. "Where ya from?" Wren asked Raven. "D.C." "Why'd ya come here?" "It's a rather long story." "Dat's okay, we got time." "Alright, it all started when I was about 12." Raven began to reminisce.  
  
*** A young child crouched in an alley, crying. Her name was Lauren. Her mother had died recently and her father had taken to drinking. He was anything but nice. He would bring in whores, and dally right in front of his own daughter. When her father was drunk and alone he would take out his aggression on Lauren. Soon her arms, hands, and legs were covered with cuts, bruises, and burns. One night he came in roaring obscenities at his daughter. "You little bitch. It's you're your fault. Why don't you just die? No one wants you. You're worthless." Lauren scuttled away, trying to dodge his backhand. It connected with a resounding smack. This was going to be her worst beat yet. He had murder on his mind. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. She ducked under his next swing and ran for the door. He lunged after her and tripped. She struggled with the doorknob until finally it flung open. She darted out, stumbled down the stairs and out into the night. In the alley she first started crying and then it faded to worry. Where was she going to go? A girl came flying through the alley and tripped on Lauren. Lauren jumped up and assumed a fighting stance in order to protect herself. The girl just stared at her. "You pretty tough to stand up to me this way." The girl called, "You homeless?" Lauren just nodded. "Well then follow me." The girl insisted. Lauren hesitated for just a second before deciding that she had nowhere better to go. Lauren soon learned that the girl was a part of a gang called the Dragon Ladies. It was all girls but these weren't no softies. They were mean and potentially deadly. Almost without knowing it Lauren was inducted as a junior member. She was renamed Raven for her dark coloring (i.e. hair, eyes, clothing.) She learned things no girl should ever learn. How to throw a knife, pickpocket, pick locks, crack safes, throw a punch, fight in general, and a vast plethora of other more illegal practices. Raven did use her skills to get back at her father. Over the years he had remarried and was terrorizing another woman. But it was a little to easy, she just pushed him down a long flight of stairs. He managed to break his neck and that was the end of it. Mainly they protected their own, but for a lot of cash the gang would be hired for assassinations, kidnapping, and other dirty deeds. At 17, Raven was now one of the older girls. She was good at carrying out tasks. She had been put in charge of an assassination. Some politician. She succeeded in killing him but someone had seen her. Her description was taken to the police. Thus she became a highly wanted person. She high tailed it out of D.C. and hitched a train to New York.  
  
***  
  
"So that is basically my life story. Do ya really wanna know more? Ise just want to tell ya that I'm not proud of what I've done. And that I'm making changes." Raven admitted. Wren just stared at her. She had just heard someone tell her that she had murdered someone. The world was violent but to be faced with a real killer. Finally Wren accepted the story and Raven in one go. She had seen no sign of Raven killing all of them in their beds so she might as well give Raven a chance. "Just don't take up where you left off here. Okay? I don't want to worry about you." Wren said. Raven nodded and the two walked off toward the lodging house. The two were quiet, lost in their own thoughts. Raven could not figure out why the heck she had just told Wren her life story. It definitely did not leave a good impression. Wren was glad that Raven had confided in her but people usually don't air their dirty laundry. The two approached the lodging house. Not knowing where they were going, Raven just walked and would have walked past if not for Wren grabbing her arm and yanking her back. "Come on, I'll introduce you to Kloppman." Wren insisted. The lodging house was quiet because most of the boys were out either finishing selling or slacking off. After a quick introduction to Kloppman, the two girls went upstairs to settle Raven. Wren had been sleeping alone in a room because Kloppman insisted that girls and boys shouldn't sleep in the same room together. It was about half the size of the boy's room and part of it was used for storage. Four bunk beds resided there because they couldn't fit anymore in the then bottom bunk, next to Wren. Other then the clothes on her back and her locket, Raven had no belongings. So settling took very little time. Eventually the boys started drifting in, but the two girls were too busy talking, until Wren heard her brother in some argument with Blink. "I had better go break this up before my brother gets to stupid." Wren insisted, "I can introduce you as well." The two walked down to the guy's room. It was as usual a mess. Mostly everyone was back except for Racetrack, Jack and a couple others. Most of them looked up at their entrance to mumble a greeting to Wren but then soon realized that there was a newcomer. They came clambering over each wanting to be introduced first. Raven took a step back unused to so much male attention. She had to resist her first reaction, which was to try and beat them up. Wren, used to their general exuberance, was able to put them in check. Then a whirlwind of introductions followed. Most of the names quickly slipped from her mind but she did learn how to spit shake very quickly. They asked a few nondiscript questions and then returned to whatever they were doing. Some of them asked her join their poker game, which she gladly did after she realized that they didn't want more details of her life. Wren saw her surprised expression and whispered in her ear, "They don't pry, almost everyone has a troubled past and usually it is best to leave the past in the past." "Why did you pry then?" Raven asked. "I'm basically the background check, people usually are willing to tell me stuff so I actually know about most of their pasts." Wren answered gesturing toward all the guys, before pushing Raven toward the poker game.  
  
Raven spent the time before bed, beating the guys at poker. She was pretty good at counting cards and figuring out percentages. She was also good at cheating but decided that they weren't worth the trouble. Finally slightly richer, Raven went to go sleep. Satisfied with the new life offered to her, Raven drifted to sleep. 


End file.
